EC condemns Maneka Gandhi''s ‘ABCD’ remarks, warns her

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 29

The Election Commission has strongly condemned senior BJP leader and Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi for her impugned statements in which she derived the “ABCD formula” for dividing villages into categories as per the votes she gets.

In her speech at an election rally in Sarkota village of Sultanpur on April 14, she also said the BJP would carry out development work based on the percentage of votes the party would get from those villages. She described ‘A’ category villages where the BJP gets more than 80 per cent votes, ‘B’ with over 60 per cent, ‘C’ with over 50 per cent and ‘D’ with less than 50 per cent.

Taking cognizance of the statement, the EC in an order said, “Based on the available evidence and material facts in the matter before EC, hereby, strongly condemns the impugned statements made by her (on 14 April in Sultanpur’s Sarkoda village) and warns her not to repeat such misconduct in future.”

Earlier this month, Gandhi stirred a controversy by telling a crowd that she will not be inclined to help Muslims if they do not vote for her in the upcoming polls. “I am winning the election… With the help and love of people. But if I win without help from Muslims, the feelings are soured. Then when Muslims come seeking jobs, I will think let it be, what difference does it make? After all, jobs are a kind of trade. We are not like Mahatma Gandhi — that we will keep on giving, and then keep getting beaten in elections,” Gandhi had said.

The EC had then barred her from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews for two days beginning 10 am on April 16.